Hundreds of pages of evidence are not automatically better than a smaller file. The goal is to make the evidence findable, understandable, and connected to the facts it may support.
Do not start by deleting
First preserve a complete master copy. Keep original electronic files and scans separately from your working packet. Then organize a review copy so you can identify duplicates, irrelevant material, and the strongest evidence without destroying the source material.
Build an evidence index
Give each item or logical group an identifier and record:
- item number;
- short description;
- date or date range;
- source;
- incident or issue it relates to;
- language and translation status;
- page range in the working packet; and
- notes/questions for your attorney.
If you have repeated copies of the same document, mark them as duplicates rather than allowing five copies to make the file look larger.
Organize around the case, not the file format
A practical structure is: identity and immigration records; master timeline; declarations; incident evidence; medical/police/court records; communications and photographs; witness material; country-conditions evidence; translations; and filing receipts/notices.
For a case with many incidents, our guide on organizing evidence by incident may be more useful than putting all photographs together and all messages together.
Make a review layer
Create a one- or two-page case map that points to the evidence index. It should not replace the evidence. It should help a reviewer answer: What happened? When? What outside evidence relates to each important fact? Where is that evidence located?
Before sending a large file to counsel, see how to organize a large evidence file for faster attorney review.
If the case is in immigration court
EOIR requires supporting documentation to follow filing requirements, and a filing package may need a table of contents. Immigration Judges can set deadlines and requirements. Do not assume that every page in your archive should be filed. Your attorney should decide what is relevant and appropriate for the record.
Official source
This page is organizational guidance, not legal advice.